Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Chapter 118 Change of Plans

The Academy was vast, with numerous training areas scattered across the grounds, each one tailored to a specific class and its unique requirements. There were grand arenas where warriors honed their strength, open fields where archers like Evelina practiced their precision, and elegant halls where mages refined their control over the elements.

However, the training hall Asher had brought Evelina to was unlike any of those spaces. This hall was designed for rogues and other stealth-based classes. It was hidden away, tucked in a less-visited part of the Academy grounds, and rarely used except by those who specialized in shadowy arts.

As they stepped inside, the air felt different. The hall was shrouded in darkness, with barely any ventilation. The faint sound of their footsteps echoed in the enclosed space, making it feel more like a secret chamber than a training hall. Unlike the other areas, which were open and well-lit, this one was intentionally cloaked in shadow.

It wasn't that the lights couldn't be turned on, but rather that most people who trained here preferred the dark. Asher, especially, felt more at ease in the shadows. It gave him an edge, heightened his senses, and allowed him to sharpen his skills as a rogue.

"Woah… it's so dark in here. Is this like a secretive date thing?" Evelina teased, her voice bouncing playfully in the dim room. Her lighthearted tone clashed with the eerie atmosphere, but that was just how she was.

Asher sighed, used to her antics. "Sorry to disappoint you…" he muttered, snapping his fingers. As if in response, a few luminous rocks embedded in the walls began to glow, casting a soft light that illuminated the surroundings. It was just enough to see, but still dim enough to keep the room cloaked in shadow. "We're not here for any of that."

"Boohoo," Evelina pouted, her curiosity still piqued. She looked around, noticing the unfamiliar surroundings. "So...? What did you bring me here for? You said you wanted to teach me something, but this doesn't look like where archers train." She twirled her bow idly, clearly out of her element in this hall.

Asher gave a brief nod, acknowledging her confusion. "That's because it's not. This hall is meant for rogues and similar classes. You won't find archers practicing here."

The hall felt almost like a cave: silent, cold, with barely any airflow. It wasn't a place for archers or those who relied on sight and long distances. But Asher didn't need a wide open space. He thrived in environments where shadows reigned supreme, where being unseen was an advantage, and where the enemy wouldn't know he was coming until it was too late.

He looked at Evelina, his tone softening just a bit. "I brought you here because this hall is rarely used. That means we have some privacy, and I can show you something without distractions."

Evelina, however, wasn't ready to drop her teasing. "So it is a date, huh? How sweet of y..."

Before she could finish, Asher brought his hand down in a swift, light chop on top of her head, cutting off her words mid-sentence.

"Ow, ow, ow! What did you do that for?" Evelina groaned, rubbing the top of her head with a wince.

"Pay attention," Asher said, his voice firm but not unkind. His eyes narrowed slightly, the playful glint gone, replaced by his usual serious demeanor.

Evelina stopped rubbing her head and straightened up, realizing that Asher was, for once, in full teacher mode. She sighed but nodded, brushing off the pain. "Fine, fine, I'm paying attention. So what is it you wanted to show me?"

Asher reached into his ring and, with a swift motion, pulled out a small bag. It wasn't anything fancy: just a plain, worn-looking bag that had seen its fair share of use. But the weight behind it made Evelina curious, despite her initial annoyance.

"What's in the bag?" Evelina asked, pouting slightly. She wasn't in the mood for surprises, especially not after being dragged to this dark, creepy training hall.

Asher simply smirked as he unzipped the bag. "You'll see," he said, his voice calm but carrying an air of mystery.

Evelina's eyes widened as Asher pulled out its contents. There, nestled in the bag, was a bow: a strange, sleek-looking weapon, much different from the one she currently used. But that wasn't what caught her attention. Next to it, gleaming under the faint light of the luminous rocks, were two finely crafted daggers.

"A bow and… daggers?" Evelina raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "You got me a bow, and some daggers for yourself? I don't think I need a new bow anyway," she added, her voice dripping with nonchalance as she looked away.

But Asher's next words made her pause.

"They're both for you," he said simply.

Evelina blinked, taken aback. "Wait, both? You mean the daggers too?" She glanced down at the weapons again, confusion setting in. The bow she understood, though she doubted she needed a replacement. But the daggers? She had never once used daggers in battle.

It didn't fit her style at all. She was an archer, a long-range specialist.

She looked up at Asher, sure he had made a mistake. "I've never used daggers before," she said, her voice trailing off. "I mean, it's not my thing. Why would I need them?"

Asher's expression didn't falter. His usual light-hearted demeanor was gone, replaced with a serious, almost stern look. He took the daggers and the bow and handed them to Evelina, his gaze steady as if daring her to reject them.

"You only know how to be useful with long-range attacks," Asher began, his voice low but firm. "But what happens if the enemy is up close, and you can't escape? Or what if you run out of arrows and can't make more? Or worse, can't get access to more?"

Evelina opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She fumbled for an answer, her mind racing for some kind of justification. "Well… umm…"

"Exactly," Asher interrupted, his eyes narrowing. "You'll be vulnerable. Helpless. Anything could happen to you, and you wouldn't be able to protect yourself. What if there's no one around to help you?"

Evelina felt a lump form in her throat. The cold reality of Asher's words hit harder than she'd expected. She had never thought about it that way. She had always relied on her bow and arrows, always assumed she'd keep her distance in any battle. But what if… what if she couldn't? What if she was left with nothing but her bare hands, staring down an enemy she couldn't outrun?

"You're weak," Asher's voice cut through her thoughts like a blade, sharp and unapologetic. There was no trace of humor or gentleness in his tone. He was being brutally honest, and it stung.

The weight of his words sank in. Evelina's chest tightened, and she couldn't help the wave of sadness that washed over her. She was used to being carefree, the light-hearted one in the group, but Asher was right. When it came down to it, she was vulnerable. She was weak, and it made her feel small.

Her eyes lowered to the floor, the daggers feeling heavy in her hands. She wanted to argue, to say something to prove him wrong, but deep down, she knew she couldn't.

Evelina's heart sank as Asher's words echoed in her mind. The weight of his judgment crushed her, and she could barely keep her composure. Her grip on the daggers tightened, the cold metal biting into her skin as her emotions surged.

"I'm weak, right? That's what you should have just said from the beginning," Evelina murmured, her voice trembling with emotion. "That I'm not good enough to stand by your side."

Asher, still stern, opened his mouth to respond. "Yeah, it's good that you already know this..."

"Jerk!" Evelina screamed, cutting him off, her voice full of hurt and frustration. Without a second thought, she turned and bolted for the door, her footsteps echoing in the dimly lit hall.

Asher stood there, dumbfounded, the shock of her outburst leaving him frozen in place. His hand hovered in the air where she had been standing just moments before.

'Did I say something wrong?' Asher thought, his brow furrowing as confusion set in. He had only been honest with her, hadn't he? He was trying to help, trying to show her the reality of her weaknesses. So why had she reacted like this?

"Why does it always have to be like this with her?" he muttered to himself, frustration creeping into his voice. "I'm trying to fix her shortcomings, to protect her, and she's running away from me?"

Shaking his head, Asher broke out of his daze and ran after her.

*****

Back at the maze, Jett exhaled heavily, wiping sweat from his forehead as he caught his breath. The environment was constantly shifting around them, and the trials were relentless.

"Good thing I used my aura to augment your abilities till this point," Jett huffed, his tone still carrying some humor despite the exhaustion.

Aiden was panting beside him, clearly not as amused. "I swear, if you ever make me follow you into something like this again…" he grumbled, bending over to catch his breath.

Just as Aiden was about to finish his sentence, the maze shifted again. The walls morphed and twisted, turning into a shadowy, eerie realm that stretched out in front of them. A dense, oppressive darkness filled the space, casting long, distorted shadows everywhere.

"Just great, another one, but it's super dark, what's going on?" Aiden muttered, already feeling drained from the previous sections.

[Link Levitation]

Without a word, Jett activated one of his skills. Instantly, his feet lifted off the ground, and he grabbed Aiden's hand, pulling him up into the air with him.

"W-What the hell are you doing?" Aiden exclaimed, struggling to break free from Jett's grip.

"Deal with it," Jett replied, not letting go. "I can only make others float with this skill if they're directly touching me. Believe me, you don't want to step on the ground for the next thirty minutes."

Aiden frowned, still confused. "What the hell are you even talking about?" he grumbled, glancing down at the ground suspiciously.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Aiden noticed something strange. Elora wasn't moving. She stood eerily still, her eyes vacant as if she wasn't even aware of what was happening.

"Umm… why isn't she moving?" Aiden asked, his voice filled with growing concern. "Isn't she supposed to be capable with the Dark attribute?"

Jett turned to look at Elora, and his heart dropped. He hadn't accounted for this.

"Oh no…" Jett whispered, his face paling.

Aiden glanced between the two, still clueless. "What? What's going on?"

"Shadow Berserk State," Jett muttered, his voice laced with dread. "If we don't run now, she'll kill us both."

Aiden's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what?!"

Jett didn't waste any more time explaining. He gripped Aiden tighter and began pulling him away, knowing full well that Elora wasn't herself anymore.

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Why they have to levitate? Sure I'll answer that.